(1) Sañjaya
said: "Unto him [Arjuna], who
was thus overwhelmed by compassion, having his eyes full of tears and
lamenting, Madhusûdana [Krishna as the killer of Madhu] spoke the
following words:

(2) The Supreme
Lord said: 'Wherefrom came this
impurity of lamentation at this hour of crisis? This practice of the
uncivilized that does not lead to a better world, is the cause of
infamy, oh Arjuna. (3) Do not take to
this impotence, oh son of Prithâ, this pettiness and weakness of
the heart does not befit you - give it up and stand up, oh chastiser of
the enemy!'

(4) Arjuna said:
'How can I counterattack
Bhîshma and Drona with arrows in the fight, oh Madhusûdana.
They are worthy of worship, oh killer of the enemies! (5) Even begging in this life on the planet is
certainly better than to kill those superior great souls, even though
those teachers desire worldly gain - surely our enjoying the pleasures
of life will be tainted with blood! (6)
Nor do we know what would be better for us: that we may conquer them or
they may conquer us - certainly of those who do so by killing we would
never want to live, all of us as we are positioned in front of the sons
of Dritharâshthra. (7) Being
afflicted by the characteristics of miserliness and weakness, I ask
You, confused in the heart about my duty, what would be all-good -
please tell me that in confidence; instruct me as I am surrendered
to You as Your disciple. (8) I do not
clearly see what would dispel the sadness drying up my senses in
achieving [this way the] unrivaled prosperity of a kingdom on earth or
even the supremacy of the godly.'

(9) Sañjaya
said: "Thus addressing
Hrisîkes'a, Gudâkes'a [Arjuna as the master of curbing
ignorance], the chastiser of the enemies said: 'I shall not fight.'
After saying this to Govinda he then fell silent. (10) Oh descendant of Bharata, there between the
armies of both parties Hrisîkes'a spoke smiling to the lamenting
one the following words.

(11) The Supreme
Lord said: 'You are lamenting
about what is not worth the lamenting and you speak learned words as
well - whether lives are lost or not, the wise never lament. (12) I never really did not exist whenever, nor
did you; you nor any of all these kings - never shall also surely all
of us not exist hereafter. (13)
Of being embodied one knows the physical of boyhood, youth and old age
- similarly does attaining to the beyond of the body never delude the
sober ones. (14) It is only sense perception, oh son of
Kuntî, like summer and winter, happiness and pain given, appear
and disappear; none of them are permanent, just try to tolerate it, oh
descendant of the Bharata dynasty. (15)
The person who is then never upset by all of this, oh best among men,
and is equal to and steady in distress and happiness, is considered fit
for liberation.

(16) Never is
there of falsehood [asat,
the temporal form] any durability nor can one expect of the eternal [sat,
the
true,
the
soul]
any
cessation,
thus
stress
the
seers
who
concluded
to
the study of both. (17) Know that
that by which the whole body is pervaded is imperishable and that no
one is able to destroy it. (18)
All these material bodies are perishable while of the embodied soul it
is said that it is never destroyed and immeasurable, therefore fight oh
descendant of Bharata. (19) Anyone who
supposes that this [soul] is the killer and also anyone who thinks that
it can be killed, will of either of both positions never be in
knowledge; never does it kill or can it be killed. (20) It is never born, nor does it ever die;
never it came into existence nor will it cease to be - it will not take
rebirth, it is unborn, eternal and permanent; it is the oldest and is
never killed when the body is killed. (21)
One who knows that this [soul] is the indestructible, always existing,
which is unborn and immutable - how can that person, oh Pârtha,
be
the cause of killing or be killed? (22)
Just like giving up worn out garments and accepting new ones, does the
embodied [soul] the same way give up old bodies and verily accept
different new ones. (23) Never can
this soul be cut to pieces, be burnt by fire; nor can it drown in water
or wither in the wind. (24) This
unbreakable soul that cannot be burned, dissolve in water or dry up, is
surely everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, unmovable and
primordial.

(25) As one speaks
like this of it as being
invisible, inconceivable and stable, you should know very well that
this soul never deserves lamentation. (26)
If, however, you think of it as always taking birth or finding death,
still, oh mighty armed one, it never deserves lamentation. (27) Death is a certain fact for the one who is
born and also is birth certain for the ones who died; they are matters
unavoidable that therefore do not deserve your lamentation. (28) In the beginning all are unmanifest, they
are manifest in the middle, and in the end, oh descendant of Bharata,
they are all gone, therefore why complain when it is all like that? (29) Some see it as amazing, some speak of it as
amazing and others surely come to know about it as being amazing, while
still others, even having heard about this soul, certainly never come
to understand it. (30) This soul,
the eternal owner of the body of everyone, cannot be killed and
therefore, oh descendant of Bharata, you should not grieve for any
living being.

(31) Also, indeed
in considering your own duties
you should not hesitate to fight for the sake of the religion, as for a
ruler truly there is no better engagement than that. (32) Oh son of Prithâ, happy are the rulers
who do achieve to the war that came on its own accord, as to them the
gates of heaven are opened wide. (33)
Therefore you should do this fighting as a religious duty - not acting
according to your own nature, you will lose your reputation and fall in
sin. (34) About your infamy people will always be
speaking as for a respectable man infamy is worse than death. (35) Ceasing out of fear leaving the battlefield,
the great generals who are also holding you in great estimation, will
consider you as someone lower in value. (36)
Many of your enemies will speak unkind words of you deriding your
ability. What of course, is there more painful than that? (37) Either, being killed, you will attain the
heavenly kingdom, or, conquering, you will enjoy the world; therefore
get up, oh son of Kuntî, and fight with the certainty of
determination. (38) Equanimous in happiness and distress, gain
and loss, victory and defeat; thereafter engaging for the sake of
fighting, this way you will never incur any sin.'

Sañjaya
said: "Unto him [Arjuna], who was thus overwhelmed by compassion,
having his eyes full of tears and lamenting, Madhusûdana [Krishna
as the killer of Madhu] spoke the following words:

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Sañjaya said: "Seeing his
friend in pain and moved to desperation, the devil's despair spoke the
following words: (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 2

The Supreme
Lord said: 'Wherefrom came this impurity of lamentation at this hour of
crisis? This practice of the uncivilized that does not lead to a better
world, is the cause of infamy, oh Arjuna.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

The great soul said: 'This is
really not the time to give it up Arjuna. This doesn't befit you at
all. This is the way of losers who never make for a better world, it's
a disgrace really! Arjuna, get yourself together! (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 3

Do not take to
this impotence, oh son of Prithâ, this pettiness and weakness of
the heart never befitts you- give it up and stand up, oh chastiser of
the enemy!'

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Do not give in to such a weakness
of heart, it leads to nothing but madness, so stand and engage in the
battle, get over your fear of death!' (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 4

Arjuna
said:'How can I counterattack Bhîshma and Drona with arrows in
the fight, oh Madhusûdana. They are worthy of worship, oh killer
of the enemies!

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Arjuna retorted: 'How can I
launch an attack on Bhîshma and master Drona, they are honorable
men of great standing! What would I then be oh devil's despair? (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 5

Even begging
in this life on the planet is certainly better than to kill those
superior great souls, even though those teachers desire worldly gain -
surely our enjoying the pleasures of life will be tainted with blood!

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Wouldn't it be better to live for
the rest of my life on charity than to bring those high and respectable
gentlemen down, even though they, as leaders and teachers, want the
kingdom of heaven on earth? I'm not going to get my hands dirty on
matters like these, that's way beyond anything honorable! (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text
6

Nor do we know
which would be better for us: that we may conquer them or they may
conquer us - certainly of those who do so by killing we would never
want to live, all of us as we are positioned in front of the sons of
Dritharâshthra.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

And what if - their defeating us
is as good as our defeating them. I wouldn't want to live to the
victory of either of us, no way, in whatever position we would end up
in relation to uncle Dhritarâshthra. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text
7

Being
afflicted by the characteristics of miserliness and weakness, I ask
You, confused in the heart about my duty, what would be all-good -
please tell me that in
confidence;
instruct
me
as
I
am
surrendered
to
You
as
Your
disciple.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

With my fear and fright, I ask
you, confused within on what to do, what would be the ideal compromise
to all of us? Confide it to me, instruct me on this and accept me as
your pupil so to say. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text
8

I do not
clearly see what would dispell the sadness drying up my senses in
achieving [this way the] unrivaled prosperity of a kingdom on earth or
even the supremacy of the godly.'

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

I'm at a loss in figuring out
what to do, on how to proceed from here; how can I not be desperate and
lame, wishing for an undisputed position on earth or even the supreme
of a set of angel wings?' " (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text
9

Sañjaya
said: "Thus addressing Hrisîkes'a, Gudâkes'a [Arjuna as the
master of curbing ignorance], the chastiser of the enemies said: ' I
shall not fight'. After saying this to Govinda he then fell silent.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Secretary Sañjaya said:
"Thus addressing the sense master, he who had proven himself stronger
than sleep and used to be the terror of his opponents said: 'I give up,
I won't engage', and next fell silent. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 10

Oh decendent
of
Bharata, there between the armies of both parties Hrisîkes'a
spoke smiling to the lamenting one the following words.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Oh descendant of Bharata, then,
right there between the opposing armies of the family gathered for the
battle, the sense master with a smile spoke the following words. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 11

The Supreme
Lord said:'You are lamenting about what is not worth the lamenting and
you speak learned words as well - whether lives are lost or not, the
wise never lament.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

The master of happiness said:
'Don't be sad over that what doesn't deserve such an emotional
commitment; with all your words so educated should you, whether you win
or lose the battle, being a wise man, not be moved in any such way. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 12

I never really
did not exist whenever, nor did you; you nor any of all these kings -
never shall also surely all of us not exist hereafter.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Listen, yesterday I existed and
so I will tomorrow, and so it is with you, and with all these important
people here. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 13

Of being
embodied one knows the physical of boyhood, youth and old age -
similarly does attaining to the beyond of the body never delude the
sober ones.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

In your lifetime you change from
a child into a youngster and from a youngster into a grown man; but,
honestly, did that make you a different person? (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 14

It is only
sense perception, oh son of Kuntî, like summer and winter,
happiness and pain given, appear and disappear; none of them are
permanent, just try to tolerate it, ohdescendant of the Bharata dynasty.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

What the senses tell you, ohson
of aunt Kuntî, in the sense of pain and happiness, comes and goes
like summer and winter. Such things don't last, just take it like a
man, ohson of the Kurus. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 15

The person who
is then never upset by all of this, ohbest among men, and is equal to
and steady in distress and happiness, is considered fit for liberation.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

He who's not upset in this,
ohbest of them all, he who is equal and steady in distress and
happiness,
is the man fit for the job. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 16

Never is there
of falsehood [asat, the temporal form] any durability nor can
one expect of the eternal [sat, the true, the soul] any
cessation, thus stress the seers who concluded to the study of both.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

So don't expect anything durable
from outer appearances, nor think that the person you stay within will
ever come to an end; and this is what the greatest scholars confirm in
their studies on the subject. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 17

Know that that
by which the whole body is pervaded is imprerishabale and that no one
is able to destroy it.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Just keep in mind that what there
is in all states of your physical existence as a constant factor, that
that self, cannot perish or be defeated by anybody. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 18

All these
material bodies are perishable while of the embodied soul it is said
that it is never destroyed and immeasurable, therefore fight
ohdescendant of Bharata.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

All these material bodies are
perishable, while the indestructible and immeasurable one that is
embodied is called eternal; and therefore fight, ohson of the noble
line of Bharata. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 19

Anyone who
supposes that this [soul] is the killer and also anyone who thinks that
it can be killed, will of either of both positions never be in
knowledge; never does it kill or can it be killed.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Anyone who says that that self of
yours can kill any essential self of someone else or can be killed by
others, is in either position out of his wits; you can't really kill
anyone, nor can anyone kill you really. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 20

It is never
born, nor does it ever die; never it came into existence nor will it
cease to be - it will not take rebirth, it is unborn, eternal and
permanent; it is the oldest and is never killed when the body is killed.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

So, to be clear: actually you
never began living nor will you ever stop living; you never took birth,
nor will you ever really die. Just the same you don't reincarnate
either in that sense; the soul as it is, is never born, is eternal and
constant. It's in existence from the first day of creation and it never
ends when the body ends. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 21

One who knows
that this [soul] is the indestructible, always existing, which is
unborn and immutable - how can that person, ohPârtha, be the
cause of killing or be killed?

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Once you realize that that soul
we talk about is indestructible and everlasting, without any change or
birth, how then, ohson of Prithâ, could you cause anyone's death
or be killed yourself? (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 22

Just like
giving up worn out garments and accepting new ones, does the embodied
[soul] the same way give up old bodies and verily accept different new
ones.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Wearing your body and the ego
along with it like a garment, you can change them just as easily, and
thus can you end a life and pick up a new one as you like. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 23

Never can this
soul be cut to pieces, be burnt by fire; nor can it drown in water or
wither in the wind.

This
unbreakable soul that cannot be burned, dissolve in water or dry up, is
surely everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, unmovable and
primordial.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

You are unbreakable, you can't
burn up or dissolve; you're everlasting, you reach wherever you want,
you'll stay your same self always, nobody can touch you as such and
you've always been that way, and that's that. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 25

As one speaks
like this of it as being invisible, inconceivable and stable, you
should know very well that this soul never deserves lamentation.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Considering this real self of
yours that can't be seen really, that can't even be conceived really,
nor undergo any change really, you should know that it thus is nothing
for you to worry or despair about. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 26

If, however,
you think of it as always taking birth or finding death, still,
ohmighty armed one, it never deserves lamentation.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

And even if you'd reincarnate and
die again, ohman of power, never worry about it. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 27

Death is a
certain fact for the one who is born and also is birth certain for the
ones who died; they are matters unavoidable that therefore do not
deserve your lamentation.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

He who dies will certainly be
born again, just as the one born will die again of course; such
irrevocable facts do not deserve any worry, that you should know. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 28

In the
beginning all are unmanifest, they are manifest in the middle, and in
the end, ohdescendant of Bharata, they are all gone, therefore why
complain when it is all like that?

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Each and every one is,
ohdescendant Bharata, to begin with a nobody, then he or she is known
and
then he or she is forgotten again, so why worry when it's all like
this? (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 29

Some see it as
amazing, some speak of it as amazing and others surely come to know
about it as being amazing, while still others, even having heard about
this soul, certainly never come to understand it.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

This soul is by some seen as
amazing, some speak about it as amazing, and some know it as amazing,
while still others never come to understand what this real self all
means. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 30

This soul, the
eternal owner of the body of everyone, cannot be killed and therefore,
oh descendant of Bharata, you should not grieve for any living being.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

This soul, this owner of each his
body, never perishes, oh son of the dynasty, and thus you shouldn't be
troubled about anybody. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 31

Also, indeed
in considering your own duties you should not hesitate to fight for the
sake of the religion, as for a ruler truly there is no better
engagement than that.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

And, concerning your duties in
the debate, I must say that you must always stand your ground to serve
God, your actual quality, virtue and righteousness, in the first place,
that is the very best thing a ruler can do. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 32

Oh son of
Prithâ, happy are the rulers who do achieve to the war that came
on its own accord, as to them the gates of heaven are opened wide.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Oh son of aunt Prithâ,
praise yourself happy as a ruler to find opposition in battle, for that
offers you the opportunity to excel and make yourselves known. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 33

Therefore you
should do this fighting as a religious duty - not acting according to
your own nature, you will lose your reputation and fall in sin.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

So defend your interest as if it
concerned God Himself, for if you fail to serve your own nature with
Him you'll be nothing but a profiteer without any self-respect. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 34

About your
infamy people will always be speaking as for a respectable man infamy
is worse than death.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Not engaging you'll lose your
reputation and to an honorable man that is something far worse than
death. (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 35

Ceasing out of
fear leaving the battlefield, the great generals who are also holding
you in great estimation, will consider you as someone lower in value.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Your comrades in the battlefield,
all thinking highly of you, will write you off as a looser, if you
back-off now out of fear. (Sanskrit
&
tradition)

Text 36

Many of your
enemies wil speak unkind words of you deriding your ability. What of
course, is there more painful than that?

Either, being
killed, you will attain the heavenly kingdom, or, conquering, you will
enjoy the world; therefore get up, oh son of Kuntî, and fight
with
the certainty of determination

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Consider it this way; you either
lose with honor, or you win the battle adding to your repute; so, stand
and be sure in this choice, oh son of Kuntî! (Sanskrit & tradition)

Text 38

Equanimous in
happiness and distress, gain and loss, victory and defeat; thereafter
engaging for the sake of fighting this way you will never incur any sin.

FILOGNOSTIC
TRANSLATION

Whether the outcome is to be
happy or unhappy, whether it is to your advantage or disadvantage,
whether you win or lose, you'll never be making a wrong move if you
engage in this fight being equanimous with this in mind!' (Sanskrit & tradition)